For an easy midweek dinner that the kids will love, this slow cooker bolognese is always popular. Minced beef is cooked with tomatoes, vegetables and herbs to create a thick and luxurious meat sauce. Serve on pasta or jacket potatoes, use to make a beef pasta bake or lasagna.
This slow cooker bolognese sauce is one of those beef mince recipes that, like these slow cooker meatballs, you can prepare in the morning and leave to cook during the day. Come dinner time, simply boil some pasta, and have an easy dinner that the kids will love on the table in minutes!
Like savoury mince, this recipe is great for meal prepping or freezing, and can be used in a number of ways – from pasta to jacket potatoes. Spoon it into a pie dish and top it with puff pastry or homemade shortcrust pastry for a delicious beef pie – or top it with mashed potato for a cottage pie
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.
- Minced beef – also known as ground beef. Or, for more of an Italian meat sauce use half beef mince and half pork mince.
- Wine – I have made this with both white wine and red wine, whatever you have open! Use stock – either chicken or vegetable stock – if you don’t want to use alcohol.
- Tomatoes – tinned / canned tomatoes. Either crushed tomatoes or passata, or crush plum tomatoes with a fork to break them up.
- Herbs – use ½ teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh thyme, and if you don’t have bay leaves either leave out or use one of these substitutes for bay leaves.
How to make bolognese sauce in the slow cooker
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.
- Soften the vegetables – you can put the onion, celery and carrot straight into the slow cooker if you are pushed for time; however I love the extra layer of sweet flavour softening the vegetables adds.
- Brown the beef – or you can put it straight in to the slow cooker without browning first if you prefer. Add the rest of the ingredients then slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender, and the sauce has thickened.
FAQ
Can I slow cook this bolognese sauce on HIGH?
Yes, you can cook this bolognese sauce for 6 hours on HIGH.
Can I add other vegetables?
Absolutely! Onion, carrot and celery are the classic Italian soffritto ingredients; however you can add some finely chopped mushrooms, capsicum / red pepper, or courgette / zucchini if you prefer.
Can I freeze slow cooker bolognese sauce?
Yes, this sauce freezes very well. Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge overnight.
Do I have to brown the beef mince before putting in the slow cooker?
You don’t have to brown the beef mince before adding to the slow cooker, however I like to brown it first for a number of reasons: it adds an extra depth of flavour, and a rich colour to the bolognese, as well as allowing you to pour off any fat if your beef mince is fatty.
Serving Ideas
Serve this bolognese sauce with your favourite cooked pasta, or polenta. Add some slices of air fryer garlic bread or garlic bread baguette on the side for hungry mouths.
Why not try…
You may also like these other family friendly slow cooker dinners:
Slow Cooker Bolognese
Author: Robyn
This easy minced beef slow cooker bolognese recipe is rich and flavour packed, and an easy, budget friendly dinner loved by kids!
Equipment
- slow cooker
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 sticks celery finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 500 g beef mince
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree tomato paste
- 120 ml white or red wine or stock
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes or passata
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- black pepper
To serve
- spaghetti
- parmesan finely grated
- fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, then tip in to the slow cooker.
- Using the same frying pan, add the ½ tablespoon oil and turn the heat up to high. Cook the beef until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add the tomato puree / tomato paste to the beef and cook for a minute, then tip into the slow cooker.
- Add the wine to the frying pan and scrape the bits off the pan, then pour this into the slow cooker together with the tomatoes, dried oregano, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
- Serve with cooked spaghetti, sprinkle with grated parmesan and chopped parsley, optional.
- Leftover bolognese will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD / STORAGE
- Fridge: Store the bolognese sauce in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. If you want to store it with cooked spaghetti / pasta, keep in mind the pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid so add water or stock when reheating.
- Freeze: Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Minced beef – also known as ground beef. Or, for more of an Italian meat sauce use half beef mince and half pork mince.
- Wine – I have made this with both white wine and red wine, whatever you have open! Use stock – either chicken or vegetable stock – if you don’t want to use alcohol.
- Tomatoes – tinned / canned tomatoes. Either crushed tomatoes or passata, or crush plum tomatoes with a fork to break them up.
- Herbs – use ½ teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh thyme, and if you don’t have bay leaves either leave out or use one of these substitutes for bay leaves.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 29gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 416mgPotassium: 1040mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5405IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 6mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 sticks celery finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 500 g beef mince
- 1½ tablespoons tomato puree tomato paste
- ½ c white or red wine or stock
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes or passata
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- black pepper
To serve
- spaghetti
- parmesan finely grated
- fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, then tip in to the slow cooker.
- Using the same frying pan, add the ½ tablespoon oil and turn the heat up to high. Cook the beef until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add the tomato puree / tomato paste to the beef and cook for a minute, then tip into the slow cooker.
- Add the wine to the frying pan and scrape the bits off the pan, then pour this into the slow cooker together with the tomatoes, dried oregano, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
- Serve with cooked spaghetti, sprinkle with grated parmesan and chopped parsley, optional.
- Leftover bolognese will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD / STORAGE
- Fridge: Store the bolognese sauce in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. If you want to store it with cooked spaghetti / pasta, keep in mind the pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid so add water or stock when reheating.
- Freeze: Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Minced beef – also known as ground beef. Or, for more of an Italian meat sauce use half beef mince and half pork mince.
- Wine – I have made this with both white wine and red wine, whatever you have open! Use stock – either chicken or vegetable stock – if you don’t want to use alcohol.
- Tomatoes – tinned / canned tomatoes. Either crushed tomatoes or passata, or crush plum tomatoes with a fork to break them up.
- Herbs – use ½ teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh thyme, and if you don’t have bay leaves either leave out or use one of these substitutes for bay leaves.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 29gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 416mgPotassium: 1040mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5405IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 6mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 sticks celery finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree tomato paste
- ½ c white or red wine or stock
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 28 oz canned chopped tomatoes or passata
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- black pepper
To serve
- spaghetti
- parmesan finely grated
- fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, then tip in to the slow cooker.
- Using the same frying pan, add the ½ tablespoon oil and turn the heat up to high. Cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add the tomato puree / tomato paste to the beef and cook for a minute, then tip into the slow cooker.
- Add the wine to the frying pan and scrape the bits off the pan, then pour this into the slow cooker together with the tomatoes, dried oregano, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
- Serve with cooked spaghetti, sprinkle with grated parmesan and chopped parsley, optional.
- Leftover bolognese will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD / STORAGE
- Fridge: Store the bolognese sauce in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. If you want to store it with cooked spaghetti / pasta, keep in mind the pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid so add water or stock when reheating.
- Freeze: Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Minced beef – also known as ground beef. Or, for more of an Italian meat sauce use half beef mince and half pork mince.
- Wine – I have made this with both white wine and red wine, whatever you have open! Use stock – either chicken or vegetable stock – if you don’t want to use alcohol.
- Tomatoes – tinned / canned tomatoes. Either crushed tomatoes or passata, or crush plum tomatoes with a fork to break them up.
- Herbs – use ½ teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh thyme, and if you don’t have bay leaves either leave out or use one of these substitutes for bay leaves.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 29gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 416mgPotassium: 1040mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5405IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 6mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
viv says
Sorry can’t show photo
We ate it a couple of days ago!!
Delicious!!
Robyn says
Thanks Viv! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Robyn